To Everything There is a Season
by ChrisNorcras
Summary: Several years after FFTA2:Grimoire of the Rift, Luso has returned home, but the threat is not ended. A new hero arises...
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note and Legal Hoopla:

Hello, and welcome to _To Everything There is a Season._ My name is ChrisNorcras (although just Chris will be fine) and this is my first piece of fan fiction. I started working on this for NaNoWriMo 2010, but had to quit due to college pressures (exams, homework, etc.) and other personal issues, but I decided that I wasn't going to let it die. So, I'm going to try to continue writing on it, pieces at a time, and I hope that you guys enjoy it. Please feel free to constructively critique my work in the reviews, but as I said, keep it constructive. Thank you for your time…

Final Fantasy Tactics A2 and all of its characters, locales, races, and everything else contained therein is the property of Square Enix Co., Ltd. I in no way own any of these things and in no way mean to affect positively or negatively any person's viewpoint on these subjects. However, this is a work of fiction based upon the world created by Square Enix Co., Ltd. And as such, I will be taking some creative liberties without the express permission of Square Enix Co., Ltd. All other characters, new locations, etc. as of the time of this writing are my own personal creative property and not the property of Square Enix Co., Ltd. Or any other legal entity. This notice will only be written at the top of the first chapter, but applies equally to all forthcoming chapters as of November 23, 2010. Should there be any change or addition, it will be noted at the top of the chapter in which said change or addition takes place.

* * *

"_To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace…"_

_~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, KJV_

Such were the times in Jylland… Ever since the young boy, Luso, wrote his name in the The Gran Grimoire, Ivalice had once again changed and had been quickened by that age-old magiks contained therein. The world shifted, alliances changed, wars began and wars ended. The boy finally saved the world by defeating Illua, but things had still changed and were in motion. Even when he was once again in his own world, Jylland continued to exist… This chapter of the Grimoire was yet to be complete.

* * *

_**Targ Wood**_

The young man grinned as his sword swing sliced the careless cockatrice almost in half. With a puff of smoke, the creature disappeared, leaving behind a brown feather. He quickly reached down and picked it up, placing it in a pouch he carried on his side before turning to face the last remaining creature. The portly, awkward bird-like creature squawked noisily and clawed at the ground before running at him, attempting to stab him with its piercing beak. The young man quickly sidestepped the creature and with a quick sword-stroke vanquished it as well, pocketing his gains before glancing around quickly, making sure there were no more of the creatures in the area.

"Well, I guess that's that, eh?" He said to no-one in particular. "Lucky for me, these feathers seem to be all the rage at the moment. Though why a gentleman would want a cockatrice feather in his hat, I have no clue… Still, as long as I'm able to trade them for some gil on the Camoa market, I won't complain. The boy lazily put both hands behind his head in a mocking posture and whistled as he began slowly making his way out of Targ Wood.

Before he got too far, however, a crashing sound could be heard heading in his direction. The ground began to shake, causing him to pause and slowly turn to see what was coming his way. As his eyes focused on the creature heading in his direction, he almost wished that he had not turned around. All he saw at first was a mass of white feathers, and then the ground beneath him seemed to roll, almost taking him off of his feet. He scrambled backwards, quickly regaining his feet and then gasped at the sight before him.

The humongous mamatrice screeched a warning cry and summoned several small cockatrices from the bushes before charging after the youth. Several seconds of debating decided the matter and the boy turned and took to flight. Had anyone seen the young man as he burst from the forest, they might have sworn that his feet were not touching the ground as he run, but thankfully the gigantic bird did not follow outside the forest's boundaries and he promptly collapsed on the grass. Feeling quite giddy at his close call and escape, he began laughing as he lie there, watching the clouds pass overhead.

This truly was a good day, and from the amount of loot he had stored in his pouch a good morrow was in store as well. His breathing finally calmed, the boy climbed to his feet and headed off once more toward home, again taking a leisurely pose and a relaxed stride. "Aye, tomorrow promises to be a great day…" he said to himself as the sun began to set on the horizon.

* * *

The next day, the young man, Robert Albion by name, woke early, quickly donning his clothes as well as his sword. A crude weapon, it was effective in its job and suited its purpose, although he often wished it were more. Still, one could only work with what one was given, so he wouldn't complain. He finished strapping on his sword and quickly looked himself over, making sure he had everything. "Shirt, check... Pants, check... Sword and sheath, check... Hat... Hmm... Now where did I put that... Ah, there it is!" With that, the young swordsman placed his signature hat on his head and slung his pouch over his shoulder.

He blinked at the bright sunlight as he exited the small house in Wood Village and began to walk down the main street. Waving at some of the neighbors, he continued strolling through town until he finally reached the edge. He thought nothing of the fact that he was leaving his village as he entered Targ Woods on the way to Camoa. Little did he know that this would be the last he saw of his home for a long time...

Robert made it through Targ Woods with little to no incident, save a few pesky critters trying to bar his way, which were easily dispatched. He added their loot to his pouch and made his way into Camoa. Much larger than Wood Village, Camoa featured a market wherin shoptenders conducted buying and selling all day long, every day. If it could be bought, Robert figured he could find it in Camoa.

Entering the market, he was instantly assaulted by several criers and shopkeepers, all peddling their wares at "discounted prices". Nudging them out of his way, he made his way to the vendor he always did business with. The baanga, a large, bipedal, lizard-like -although if you called them that, there was a good chance of you losing a limb- creature, recognized him quickly and motioned him over.

"Ah, Robert, my friend... Sssssoooo you have sssomething to ssell me today?" the creature hissed out, a habit confusing to those who first met them.

"Aye, I do, Lawrence... A bunch of cockatrice feathers as well as some other baubles and trinkets I've collected."

With this, he opened his pouch and poured it's contents gently onto the table. The baanga studied each piece carefully, hmm'ing and haw'ing over each one as if trying to gauge their value.

"Tell you what, I'll give you 200 gil for it all..."

"200 gil? That's highway robbery and you know it, Lawrence... Make it 300 or I'll take it to some other shopkeep who knows what it's worth."

"The bessst I can do is 250... Not a gil more."

Robert shook his head and reached for the items as if to pack them up, but the baanga's scaly arms quickly reached out to stop him.

"Alright, alright... I'll give you the 300 gil. I'm not sssure why, sssiince I'm not even sssuure I can make that much on them."

"You're a gentleman and a scholar, Lawrence m'boy."

The baanga handed over the gil and Robert quicly packed it away.

"Tell you what, I'll even take one of those potions off your hands, since you gave me such a good price on my items," he said as he counted out the price and handed it to the shopkeeper. Lawrence reached under the counter and handed him the vial of blue liquid and he placed it in his pouch.

"Thanks again, Lawrence... We'll be seeing you around, I'm sure." With a wink at the cold-blooded shopkeeper, he was gone, moving through the shifting crowd. The baanga turned back to his goods with a sigh, shaking his head at the youngster who had just left.

Robert continued through the market, stopping at this stall and then at that stall, checking out the sights, the sounds, the smells… His stomach growled and he began looking around for a food stall offering something he wanted. As he browsed through the market, he was suddenly bumped by a small hume boy…

"Sorry mister," the lad cried before starting to rush off. I took a couple seconds before Robert noticed something was missing. He reached down to his belt in shock at the missing pouch that had been there just seconds earlier. The boy hadn't just bumped into him by accident!

"Stop, thief!" Robert cried, starting off after the boy, who cast a furtive glance over his shoulder before dashing into an alley. "They never listen," he thought as he rushed after the young pick-pocket. Luckily, Robert was no slacker, and was able to easily keep up with the young man as he dashed through the many back alleys and byways of Camoa.

After several moments of chase, Robert finally cornered the boy in an alley.

"Ok…" he said, in between panting for breath. "Just hand me back the wallet and we'll call it even. How's that sound?"

The young boy stopped cowering and chuckled before pointing behind Robert.

"Yeah, like I'm going to fall for that…" A heavy hand fell on his shoulder. "Ah, crap…"

He quickly ducked under the hand and turned, drawing his sword. Before he could even finish turning, a fist smashed into his face and he was unconscious on the ground. The large hume whose fist had collided with his face nodded to the young boy before picking Robert up and throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, things are going according to our plan then?" The figure who spoke wore a dark hooded robe which hid his features. The other four gathered with him around the circular table also wore similar robes, obscuring their forms and features. While not necessary among themselves, they still observed the strictest secrecy regarding their identity.

"Aye, that they are... Our agents have been working for months now to weaken the ruling clans and to open the gates for us. When we do choose to move, Jylland will be ripe for the taking."

"Excellent, Lord Michael..." He turned to another one of the group. "And you, Lady Gabrielle, what news of the hero of Jylland?"

A quiet feminine voice replied to his query without pause. "The one called Luso, who caused us so much trouble before, has returned to his own land. The copy of the Grimoire on our side has been taken to the realms of the judges for safekeeping. No-one has emerged to take his place or proved even half as troublesome."

The first robed figure chuckled to himself, before being seized by a coughing fit which lasted for several moments. One of the other robed forms reached forward to support him, but he quickly waved them away. Finally, he stood once more, addressing the four once again. "So be it... We shall move forward with our plans in earnest. Jylland will be ours..."

* * *

**Chapter 2 - "A Time..." For A Hero "...to Be Born"**

Robert shook his head groggily as he came to, and soon regretted that he was awake once again. His blood pounded inside his skull from the force of the blow that he had sustained. He started to reach up to gingerly check his face, but quickly found that his hands and fee were tied to a chair. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning a bit, and took in his surroundings. A small lantern set on a nearby table illuminated the room he was in, and from the looks of things, he was in some sort of warehouse.

Before he could even attempt to move, a nearby door opened and the young boy and the man walked in.

"Oy, what's the meaning of all this then?" Robert shouted at the two. "Do you regularly make a habit of stealing a person's hard-earned cash and then luring them into alleys in order to kidnap them? What kind of sick joke is this?"

Before he could continue, the door opened once more and another being entered. Robert gasped in surprise, before quickly regaining his composure. The being who had entered was one of the cat-like Revgaji, a race which was slowly disappearing from Jylland. So rare were these beings that this was the first Robert had seen in his lifetime.

"To answer your questions," the Revgaji spoke up in a soft, soothing voice, "No, we normally do not do these things... But, when our target is a being of significance such as yourself, we do make the occasional exception." The Revgaji looked up and grinned maliciously. While he seemed to be young, the multitude of scars that ran across his face suggested a painful past, as did the eye-patch obscuring one eye from view. The visible parts of his arms were scarred as well, and Robert found it very difficult to take his eyes away from the disfigurements.

"But why me?" he asked, finally tearing his eyes away and focusing once more on his captor. "I'm not anyone of significance, just an adventurer from Wood Village..."

"Ah, but you do have something that we want... That we need... Don't you, Robert Albion?" The Revgaji leaned closer to him, his foul breath bearing the scent of some form of smoked drug.

"I don't have any clue what you're talking about... I don't have anything, you crazed fool!" He struggled once more against his bonds, releasing when he found that there was no way that he could move. A moment later, the large hume's hand once again connected with his face, this time in the form of a back-handed slap, which left his face tingling. A small trickle of blood ran from his nose as he slumped in the chair slightly.

The Revgaji stood thoughtfully for several moments and then abruptly turned to leave the room. "Lock him up in one of the cells for a while. Maybe when he had spent some time alone he may reconsider giving us the information we seek." He tossed the small hume a key and then exited through the same door he had entered.

The large hum walked over and quickly untied Robert from the chair, still leaving his arms bound and once again slung him over his shoulder. The young hume twirled the key on his finger and began walking toward another door. He opened it, and they quickly made their way into a long hallway.

"So shorty," Robert said whenever he had finally regained his breath, "what's your angle? What's a kid like you doing working for guys like these?"

At this the short figure stopped in mid-stride and whipped around to look up at him.""Shorty! Who do you think you're calling 'shorty'? And kid?"" The hume quickly flipped back his hood revealing a face that while not old, he was not young either.""It's not my fault that I was born this way, you little ingrate... It was not my choice... But someday, I'll have my revenge, someday.."" The diminutive dwarf quickly turned around once more and resumed stomping down the corridor, muttering as he went.

They finally stopped and before Robert realized what was happening, they had thrown him in a small room. The dwarf walked up to him and sneered in his face.""Be thankful the master has need of you, boy, else I would kill you where you lie.."" He delivered a swift kick to Robert's stomach, causing him to wince and double up in pain. Robert was only partially aware of the clang of the door shutting and the click of the lock.

When he finally was able to stand, he looked around the small room they had thrown him in. He worked out of his bonds-much easier now that he wasn't tied to a chair-and rubbed his sore wrists. The small room contained nothing but a small bedroll, although, by the looks of it, there was no way he was going to be lying on it any time soon. The only solace to the room was the two small barred windows, one in the door and one to the cell next to him. As he looked into the next cell, he was startled for the second time in one day.

Another Revgaji was sitting in the floor of the other cell, his back against the wall and his hands leisurely folded in front of him.

"Don't look so surprised, boy... I know it's not that common to see one of our kind in Wood Village, but elsewhere in Jylland we're not as scarce... Well, I guess that's not totally true... Seeing two of us in one hours time is a bit more than a coincidence." He shrugged as he said this and raised his gaze to meet Robert's eyes.

"But... Wait... How do you know where I'm from?"

"Ah, now that's an interesting question indeed, isn't it, Robert Albion?" At the boy's astonished look, the Revgaji continued on, "Yes, we know all about you. We've watched you since you were young, and have looked out for your well-being. As the chosen child, you had to be kept safe as well as hidden from the powers that would seek to rule this world."

"Wait... The chosen? What the heck is that supposed to mean? Who are you? How do you know all this about me? I'm nothing special, I'm just a kid from Wood Village!"

The Revgaji sat, patiently waiting for the boy to quit his ranting before speaking again. "Are you quite finished?" The boy blushed slightly, ashamed at his outburst. "I am called Cid. As for you being the chosen one, before the hero Luso left this world, he named his successor, the heir to the Gran Grimoire. That successor is you, Robert. You are Luso's heir."

Robert froze in place when the Revgaji told him his name, and he swore he could feel his jaw hit the floor when he mentioned Luso. "You mean you're theCid? As in Cid, the master of Clan Lumen? And Luso... You mean _the _Luso? What do you mean I'm his heir?"

"I mean, that you are the one who was given the possession of the Gran Grimoire in this world when Luso returned home. While his copy remains in his care in his world, this world's copy had to be hidden in order to keep those who wish to use it for evil ends from obtaining it. Thus Luso, with the help of Lezaford, bound Ivalice's copy to a young boy, in the hopes that such an unsuspecting vessel would not be found."

Robert interrupted again, "But I'm not something special... I'm just a kid from a little village!"

"Will you pipe down and listen for a moment?" A look of irritation crossed Cid's face, but was quickly once more replaced with a look of calm benevolence. "I know it's hard to believe an understand, but I promise that it's the truth. Do you seek proof that what I say is true? If so, we must first find a way out of here, since there's no reason to needlessly endanger the Grimoire."

"Would a key help?" Luso asked, remembrance briefly crossing his features.

"Yes, a could would help, but I don't happen to have one just lying around!" the Revgaji snapped, once again irritated.

Robert sardonically held up his hand, opening it slowly to reveal a key. Cid stared in amazement for a moment before quickly regaining his composure, once again going stone-faced. Robert grinned at his stunned silence before slowly approaching the door of his cell. Quietly as possible, he placed the key in the lock, wincing slightly when it creaked and groaned as he turned it. With a slight click, the door was open.

He quickly opened Cid's door as well and then followed the Revgaji outside. How Cid knew the way out was a mystery to Robert, but he quickly found himself back in the streets of Camoa, being pulled along by a firm hand. Thus it was that Robert found himself, by no choice of his own, in the middle of the intrigue surrounding the Gran Grimoire.

* * *

Hey guys, sorry about the wait on this one. I know it's not very long (only 1,750 words or so), but I wanted to go ahead and post it so that I could continue on. Almost all of this was written before college finals, and I've felt like I've been brain-drained since, so... Hopefully things will start picking up a bit again. Happy Reading, and a Very Merry Christmas! ^_^ -Chris

PS. Thanks NickNasby, it was a typo. -Chris :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: "Here Comes Da' Judge..."**

Luso awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. He slowly calmed as he realized he was still in his own bed in St. Ivalice, but the feeling of dread remained. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he shivered momentarily as the cold invaded the warmth he had built up under the covers. He got up and quietly made his way to his bookshelf. Removing an aged book carefully from the shelf, he made his way back to the bed and sat on the edge. He opened the book and looked at the blank pages for a second before muttering a phrase.

The page he was looking at began to glow a bright blue and even as he watched an image began to form. Seconds later, he was staring into the grim face of Cid, but before he could speak, the Revgaji spoke up first.

"Um, Luso... Now's not exactly a good time." By the fact that the image was jostling back and forth, Luso deduced that Cid was on the move, and rather quickly at that.

"I'm sorry, old friend," the young man said with an apologetic smile. "You know I wouldn't contact you unless it was important..."

"Yes," the Revgaji cut him off, "But now **really** is not a good time! To make a long story short, your _heir_ and I are currently running from the fine people who happened to capture us and hold us prisoner in order to try to steal the Grimoire." The image on the pages began to shake even more and Luso could hear the Revgaji's heavy breathing. It took Luso a moment before the reality of the Revgaji's words sunk in, then a look of surprise came over his face.

"So, things are in motion. That explains my dreams then." He paused for a moment, thinking over his next words carefully. "I hadn't thought that the time for me to return to Ivalice would come so soon, but I suppose it can't be helped. Where should I meet you and the boy?"

"Well, since I'm mainly trying to stay focused on running and surviving right now, I'm afraid my sense of direction is a bit off, as is my trip planning abilities." Luso heard a crash and the image shook once more and darkened for a moment, then he heard Cid muttering, possibly to his companion, before turning back to the book. "Perhaps the Blue Wyrm in Grazton?"

"Agreed, I'll be there as soon as I'm able." Even as Luso watched the image faded out and he knew that Cid had closed his book and ended their conversation. He closed his book for a moment, then reopened the book. Within seconds, images from their conversation, as well as the words they had spoken had been penned down in the book, and he re-read them again, confirming he had heard right.

"So, the heir really has arisen, and the enemy is once more after the Grimoire." He replaced the book back on the shelf before returning to his bedside, then crawled back under his blankets and tried to sleep. He knew, however, that sleep would not come easy, since he could not banish the thoughts racing through his mind.

* * *

Cid sighed in frustration as he slipped the book back into one of his many pockets, while still maintaining a firm grip on the stumbling Robert's shirt collar as he ran. The boy had tripped over a trash bin, causing a ruckus and allowing them to be detected once more, and add to that the fact that Luso had decided to contact him for a friendly chat at just that moment and you had a predicament enough to make even a Nu Mou's blood pressure skyrocket. Then there was Robert, constantly asking questions and tripping over his own feet. Cid truly had no idea how the young boy had survived as an "adventurer" before now, but he could tell that it was going to be an adventure to try to train the boy and keep him safe.

"Hey Cid..." The Revgaji cringed momentarily and sighed in frustration before ducking into a side alley, pulling Robert with him, spinning him around and standing him up straight and menacingly looking him in the face.

"Okay, kid, let's get one thing straight. As Revgaji go, I'm a pretty mild-mannered guy who can put up with all kinds of things before I lose my cool, but between you, Luso, and the guys chasing us, my ire is definitely up! So, from this moment on, I'm going to _kindly_ ask that you refrain from asking me any more questions and try to keep up without me having to carry you by your collar, alright?"

With that, the Revgaji pushed him further through the alley as some of their pursuers appeared from the direction they had entered. Cid planted his feet and made several quick hand motions, ending with a push outward from his body, and a biting gust of wind issued forth that bowled over the first unprepared enemy and caused the others to pause, shielding their eyes from the onslaught of dust and debris that the wind carried with it. Satisfied when he saw the results of his attack and heard the coughing of those who had remained standing, he turned and sped after the confused Robert, who at least managed to follow him this time.

Thankfully, they were able to make it out of the city without any more confrontations or difficulty, but it was still several miles before Cid paid any mind to the sullen boy beside him.

"Listen, Robert, I'm sorry that I snapped at you back in town, but I really was under a lot of pressure... I know things are really confusing for you right now, and you're still wondering how you got into this mess. I suppose the last I can do is prove to you that I'm not lying..." The Revgaji paused and turned to the boy, who looked up at him quizzically.

Cid reached into another of his pockets and produced a card. Robert recognized it immediately as a "judge point", which allowed someone to summon a judge and declare an engagement. While under the protection of a judge, none of the combatants could be killed or even severely maimed, although they would still be worn out from the physical exertion or unconscious from the injuries they did sustain. Judges were obtained by clans who negotiated a contract with them in order to gain their protection.

Cid threw the judge point to the ground, and in a flash of light, one of the otherworldly judges appeared. While Robert merely stood, jaw hanging down in amazement, Cid approached the judge. "My Lord Judge, I, Cid of the Revgaji, stand before you as an envoy of Luso Clemens, Hero of Jylland. With me is Robert Albion, the Heir of the Hero, to whom belongs the weight of the Grand Grimoire. He wishes to claim the book as Luso's rightful heir, and I vow to protect him and the Grimoire with my very life."

The judge nodded once in affirmation at Cid before turning and gazing at Robert. Cid noticed the boys discomfort and whispered quickly, "Just agree with everything I said."

Robert opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't seemed to find the words. He was still shell-shocked at the appearance and majesty of the judge, but he somehow managed to nod his head.

"So be it." the judge said in a deep, strong voice which actually cause Robert to jump slightly. The judge drew his sword, which seemed to gleam with an ethereal flame, and, slicing downward, seemed to cut a hole in the very fabric of space. With his other hand, he made a beckoning gesture, and a large and ornate tome floated out of the rift and settled in his gauntlet-ed hand. Sheathing his sword, the rift sealed itself once more with a slight pop, and the judge slowly lowered the book in Robert's hands.

As the boy took the tome, he noticed how heavy it was, but imagine his surprise when it seemed not only to shrink, but also changed shape to become a simple leather-bound journal. With another flash of light, the judge was gone, leaving Robert and Cid standing alone in the road once more...


End file.
